ACLU tells Maine bus line it doesn't have to comply with immigration agents
Photo / William Hall
The ACLU of Maine is urging Concord Coach Lines not to cooperate with federal immigration agents attempting to search its buses, such as this one in Portland.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine is urging Concord Coach Lines, which operates regional bus service in the state, to bar immigration agents from raiding its vehicles in search of passengers who are in the U.S. illegally.
The ACLU says internal U.S Customer and Border Protection documents show even the federal agency realizes it rarely has power to compel searches.
In a letter sent to Concord on Tuesday and posted online, the ACLU wrote, “In light of the newly released public records, it is clearer than ever that Concord Coach Lines has a choice to continue to allow immigration agents to board buses and search. Choosing to consent to these bus raids jeopardizes [Concord’s] paying passengers’ Fourth Amendment rights.”
Attempts to reach Concord for a response were not immediately successful.
Concord’s website makes it clear that passengers aren’t required to be citizens. But the New Hampshire-based company cooperates with the federal agents, who are legally allowed to conduct citizenship checks within 100 miles of the country’s borders — including all of Maine.
Concord and another bus company serving Maine, Greyhound Lines, have come under fire in the past year for allowing CBP agents to board and search buses without a warrant. Although the ACLU initially raised concerns about the searches, Concord said it would continue allowing them, as there were “different interpretations” about the legal implications of conducting on-bus checks.
Emma Bond, staff attorney with the ACLU of Maine, commented: “We don’t live in a ‘show me your papers’ society, and people shouldn’t have to prove their citizenship every time they want to ride the bus. Concord should protect its customers and tell CBP to get a warrant.”
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